Re: Mechanical troubles!

We need to replace our panel, too. It's only 100-amp and the main breaker hasn't been made for a number of years. Lowest estimate we've had is $1,400--so I don't know when we'll get to it.

On Feb 25, 2006, at 11:11 PM, Donna wrote:

It is not as costly as I was imagining to replace the box. Although our
house is only 8 years old, we are adding some plugs and found we didn't have
expansion capabilities.(read outside plugs for trains and Xmas stuff)

Of course if the existing wiring has to be replaced also, that is another
story...

Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
Behalf Of Bonnie & Bill Morgan
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 2:58 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: RE: [CHAT] Mechanical troubles!

Not that old. We moved in in 1994, so about 12 years. Even when it was
built, we didn't have much confidence in the sub contractor the contractor
used for hooking up the wiring in the house. We unaffectionately called
them Larry, Moe and Joe for some obvious reasons. The geothermal heat
pump
would not work when they finished their "installation." Bill had to take
the wiring diagram and do the hook up himself before it would pass
inspection and Bill isn't an electrician. (He's just darned good at about
everything, kind and tender, too. Any wonder why I married him?)

It was a bit scary, but the danger is past for now. We just need to get a
new panel installed before something else goes out because of it.

Blessings,
Bonnie (SW OH - zone 5)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
Behalf
Of Daryl
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 2:52 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Mechanical troubles!

Yikes! That's scary! I'm so glad it didn't catch fire. I didn't know
breakers caught on fire. How old is your house?

d

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bonnie & Bill Morgan" <wmorgan972@ameritech.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 10:53 AM
Subject: RE: [CHAT] Mechanical troubles!


Wow! What a mixed week for emotions you have had! I'm sorry about your
Italian glass items and your garbage disposal. I love glass myself and
I
know some of it can be quite expensive and the one of a kind items are
just
irreplaceable. I'm so glad you won the furnace and I hope they've got a
great energy star selection for you!!!

We had maintenance problems this week, too. Tuesday I smelled something
that I thought was burning insulation. Bill said he didn't have much
hot
water for his shower so I'd need to re-set the breaker in the basement
before I went to shower. (That has frequently happened when the furnace
has
not been running much to heat the water via geothermal.) When I went to
reset the breaker I found the smell of something burning right there!
The

insulation had been smoldering and the plastic face plate had melted

over
the breaker! Boy was it HOT! OUCH! I ran upstairs and threw the main
breaker to the water heater and called Bill, who was at work by then.
He
got the info for me to get a new thermostat at a local store.

I was going to pick it up and Bill was going to take his lunch to do the
repairs. It sounded good until I got in the car and it wouldn't start!
When Bill got home, we discovered my 7 year old starter battery had
given
up
the ghost. Now there is a downside to a Prius. The starter battery is
like
no other in size or shape. We knew that, but we called around and Auto
Zone
said they had it. Bill picked it up on his way home. It was NOT the
right
battery. We discovered you can only get a replacement from the
dealership.
Naturally, they don't carry them. You have to order them! UGH!!!

Bill ended up taking the rest of the day off to work on the hot water
heater
and my car. I was blessed that someone at a dealer 45 minutes away had
ordered one but hadn't used it. (Of course it was $150!) After Bill
installed my new battery, he put the new thermostat in the hot water
heater
but didn't like the way the insulation on the wiring to the thermostat
looked, so he headed out to purchase new wiring. He got that installed
and
with a couple of trials, we heard the coils kick in and everything
seemed
fine. (At this point, he was an hour late for class!)

The next morning he said that I should wait a little while before I
showered
because it seemed to be taking a little longer to heat up, since the 50
gallon tank had gotten stone cold on Tuesday. I waited another 3 hours
and
had the absolute coldest shower of my life!!! UGH! There was no time
to
find the problem at lunch, so after work, Bill came home and ran about
every
test he could on the wiring and thermostat he had installed and it was
all
good. BUT, every time he threw the switch on it, the main breaker for
the
water heater flipped! It took us about an hour and we started smelling
that
electrical burning insulation smell again.... Yup, the breaker itself
had
gone bad and had started to melt down! Luckily, we had a spare breaker.
The bad news is, we can't find any more. It looks like we'll have to
have
a
new panel installed in the very near future.

We finally got hot water Thursday morning! YEAH!!! My poor DH is quite
worn out! I don't want to call him to tell him the dryer is making a
horrendous noise....

Blessings,
Bonnie
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Island Jim
Southwest Florida
27.0 N, 82.4 W
Hardiness Zone 10
Heat Zone 10
Minimum 30 F [-1 C]
Maximum 100 F [38 C]

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